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I had a thunder header on an Electra Glide back in 2000, loved it but it blued really fast, ended up wrapping it and painting what wasn't wrapped. Mike
I'm hoping the heat shields will hide any bluing. But at my age, I really don't give a damn any more.
The Thunderheader my son installed on his previous 883, was black, and he heat wrapped it. Looked good on the sporty, don't know if I'm ready for that look just yet on my geezerglide....
Floorboard bracket hit the head pipe. The bracket isn't fully tightened against the frame either. Looks like it needs a 1/4" or so spacer. I already tried loosening the whole system up and seeing if it would move closer to the frame, but no joy.
Sent pics off to Thunderheader after talking with them. I have the correct part, verified with the part number on the pipe. There is a spacer, but that was for use on newer bikes. Not this one.
I took the entire system off to see what could be done to get it moved over. Discovered that the front exhaust gasket had 'pinched' a bit, so I inserted a new one (I've got the cool JIMs tool for that). Bolted the header back on, and gained a bit of clearance. But it doesn't look like enough to get the front heat shield on. I've got to remove the rear floorboard bracket (again) to get the shield on.
Originally Posted by LowriderHarold
Like 98hotrodfatboy said, maybe space it out, or take a handgrinder to the bracket & then touch it up with some paint.
It's a pretty beefy casting, so I may just 'dress it up' a bit with a grinder if it only needs a bit of clearance. Thanks for that idea! I'm recalling that after the accident in 2003, the dealer replaced the floorboard brackets with the newer style (the 93 OEM were a welded tube assembly on the rear), and used the cast bracket which may be bigger (thicker in that area). I no longer have the original, so I can't check.
But if it needs more space than I want to grind to achieve, I may end up stacking a couple of thick washers under the bracket(s). I'll need to get a longer socket head bolt, but I've got a Fastenal store right down the street from me. Probably doesn't need more tha 1/4"-3/8".
Haven't gotten a response from Thunderheader corporate yet (they don't have a consumer tech support - only dealer), and the dealer I bought the header from, only had a few suggestions, but nothing that I hadn't thought of already.
Going to be working on it today, so I'll update the thread later.
Don't try to move the exhaust or grind anything, you have to space out the floorboard for most 2-1 exhaust, three lock washers on each bolt, no big deal.
Does the thunderheader have ball ends, or flat?
Only use tapered gaskets with ball ends, flat gaskets with flat ends.
I use solid copper gaskets with a smear of orange silicon on my 2-1's with flat ends,
never block the exhaust port with squeezed out gaskets, killing the flow of your new $$$ pipe.
D&D pipes take a thick flat gasket, so I double them in each port.
Don't try to move the exhaust or grind anything, you have to space out the floorboard for most 2-1 exhaust, three lock washers on each bolt, no big deal.
Yeah, grinding would be a last resort.
I don't use washers as a spacer, because I can make my own.
If the op can get me some dimensions, ( OD of spacer, thickness of what you need, & size bolt that goes thru it,) I'll make you a pair & mail em to ya.
We have a lot of scrap 17-4 stainless , laying around the shop, I can make em & heat treat em.
Be tough, & won't rust & won't cost you a thing, except mailing cost.
Here you go Harold, 1/2" ID, 3/8 thick, you can guess at the OD,
if Hack needs some and you get around to it, I'd appreciate a pair.
Washers been on there for a few years, but real spacers would be better.
